A Russian ballerina from the world-renowned Mariinsky Theatre dressed in full costume performs scenes from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake… not on stage though, but on the frozen Gulf of Finland.

This is Ilmira Bagrautinova's way of objecting against the construction of a port in Batareinaya Bay, a popular beach about 100 km west of St Petersburg, Russia's second largest city.

Bagrautinova danced in -15C and posted her videos online. As she explains to BBC Russian's Ekaterina Venediktova, she hopes her performance will save real swans which nest in the bay.

Video produced by Kateryna Khinkulova.

Read More